Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-02-09


dered to exchange places with this old
thing, and all our lovely times vanished.
| begged mother not to come to this
poky place, but father is devoted to fish.
ing-he never caught anything yet
and it isn't too far for him to run up
here from Detroit; 50 here we are. I
know shall have miserable time"
mo, you WON'T" said her friend
reassuringly. Its Just bewitching out
on the river in the moonlight, and
here's Lieut.. Rodney at the fort that's
Just too handsome, and"
20 therel Excuse me, Blanche, but
| think that's the man with our
trunks" and Miss Black hastened TO
look after the baggage.
\ little later, as Mrs. Black and her
daughter were about to enter the dining
room. the former waited for some one
TO come up TO them and then said:
"Rhodora, let me introduce you to
Capt. Greene. He and your Uncle
VIII were old comrades.
"HOw do you do" said Miss Black,
trying to call up smile for the sake uf
her Uncle VIII. They found themselves
seated at Capt. Greene's table, and in
a few moments the waiter drew out the
chair opposite for tall gentleman with
a tawny mustache and dark brown
eyes; his uniform denoted the rank of
first lieutenant. Rhodora had seen him
before and had admired him, but she
saw now, with little start, that it was
the gentleman in gray, who had changed
his tweed for the Objectionable blue
He was introduced to her mother, but
Capt. Green did not present him to
Miss RhodOTa, which sent rush OF
blood TO her neck and cheeks; it also
broke her silence. and she launched
! forth into brilliant conversation, 50
occupying her mother and Capt. Greene
that Lieut.. HalStead seemed TO have
been utterly forgotten by them.
Mother" said RloiOra, when they
had gone to their rooms, her cheeks
| dushed and her eyes brilliant, "neyer
let me be introduced TO that Lieut..
HalStead. He has asked not to meet
me-"
"Why, my dear. didn't you meet
/ himr l did not notice. l must have
turned 10 speak to George"
No; and II WAS very decided"
You must have Imagined it, my
| ,iesr."
Now, motheI!"
We'll, well, AS you like, but it is a
foolish freak"
RhoiuIa was half inclined 10 tSll her
mother of the remark she had heard as
she passed the group of officers on the
wharf that morning, but she decided
not TO speak of il.
Rhodora often detained her mother
that they might be late to dinner or
lunch, but go when they would Lieut.
/ Halstead always seemed 10 be there.
He ate slowly, and Rhodora declared
that lie took everything in courses from
olives to cheese, and that his digestive
apparatus was Certainly iu excellent
trim, for he ate with fifteen minutes
interval between each m0uthful.
When she was invited to join large
party the mex. day she adroitiy had the
hostess run over the list OF her guests,
and when she found that Lieut.. Hal
stead's name was not among them she
gladly consented TO 60.
1t was after in the evening when
she returned, tired and hungry, but
signing with satisfaction 10 think that
she could eat a comfortable meal with
out pair of staring brown eyes oppo
site.
She had finished her soup when the
hall door opened. Alasi she knew this
trm, decided step too well. George
smilingly pulled out the chair opposite
and Lieut., Halstead seated himself de-
murely.
/, was Just too bad. Tears of vexa-
tion gathered in those large gray eyes.
lie came on purpose TO annoy her. lie
was the Tudest man she had ever seen.
iIer first impulse was 10 leave the table.
but she would not give him the salts
faction of knowing she was angry;
besides, she WAS hungry. She would
eat very slowly. She did not care how
miserable she felt if only she could
make him uncomfortable, so with a
studied air of composure she reached
for the crackers and upset her glass of
water. She didn't care, but it was
rather embarrassing. She was sure he
was smiling. She ate slower than ever,
and looked quite serene gazing of into
space. The room was oppressively
quiet. He was taking an endless time
for his dinner, so she hurried and al
most choked herself. but he seemed to
be hurrylng too. now that she tried to
get through first.
She had Just decided that she could
not endure this moment longer, yet
determined that he should not have the
satisfaction of having spoiled her din
ner when she heard in sonorOus tones:
Miss Black, may trouble you for the
pepper?'
Sue started, but said, in frozen
manner Certainly" handing him the
catsup,
The pepper, please" he said. smi!-
ing, at the same time half withdrawing
his hand from the bottle, while she,
supposing he would take it from her,
let 1t slip from her fingers.
81 beg your PARDON" he said, but
not before the brown liquor had deluged
the table.
1T is of no consequence" said Miss
Rhodora, quite confused, then pointing
toward his elbow she said in tragic
tones: There's the peppar!"
$50 it is" he said, his brown eyes
smiling at her. ''lt's too bad to have
troubled you"
1t would have been natural for Rho-
dora to make some polite response. but
she bit her lip and remained silent.
al presume you had pleasant barge
party?' he said, agreeably.
"Qulte pleasant, was the frigld an
swer.
81 was out hunting. and could nat
go. l only came III half an hour SINCE"
He had evidently only had time to
change his hunting suit and come down
to dinner. Rhodora Iepented a littlei
possibly lie had not come in late for the
purpose Of annoying her; still she re-
membered his remark about Detroit
girls and ceased to relent toward him.
She had finished her dinner and risen
from the table. Lieut.. Halstead arose
also and held the dining room door open
for her to pass.
MAY I come into the parlor with